Jumping back on the horse immediately after big meal

tenazhsc
tenazhsc Posts: 70 Member
edited December 2024 in Motivation and Support
So...I had a great week and I'm feeling very optimistic. I feel so great that I ate at maintenance level yesterday and allowed myself to go to the buffet. Up to that point it was still all good.

This morning I had a big breakfast, 1600 calories... so I'm not gonna go down this path of telling myself that I blew it and might as well convert this into a 'cheat day'.

I want to jump back on the horse immediately.

But I'm wondering if any of you have come up with strategies to deal with setbacks like this.
What is your line of thinking to not completely give up after a setback?

Replies

  • alteredsteve175
    alteredsteve175 Posts: 2,726 Member
    Take the long view. I don't stress about going over on any given day. Set a weekly target as well. I will exceed the daily target sometimes, but try to make it up in the following days.

    I try to plan ahead for occasions as well. Especially this time of year. I had a party to attend on Friday. Knew I would exceed the calorie target that day. Just planned to eat normally on the other days.
  • kaytiecakes
    kaytiecakes Posts: 79 Member
    I give myself "cheat" meals, not "cheat" days. My Friday and Saturday dinners are my "cheat" meals. I behave during the day so I don't feel guilty about those two meals.
  • alteredsteve175
    alteredsteve175 Posts: 2,726 Member
    Some great advice for dealing with the holidays in this thread. A tip of the hat to @WinoGelato

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10303793/who-gained-weight-during-the-holidays-i-have-a-solution/p1
  • tenazhsc
    tenazhsc Posts: 70 Member
    alteredsteve175 wrote: »
    Take the long view. I don't stress about going over on any given day. Set a weekly target as well. I will exceed the daily target sometimes, but try to make it up in the following days.

    I try to plan ahead for occasions as well. Especially this time of year. I had a party to attend on Friday. Knew I would exceed the calorie target that day. Just planned to eat normally on the other days.

    This is great advice. I'll keep a weekly running total to deal with big meals. I've done the pre-planned big meal which was the buffet but this morning I was a bit distracted and in autopilot. Thanks for the input.
  • MineralDaGreat
    MineralDaGreat Posts: 4 Member
    Yeah um...I'm a newbie on this website so please don't attack me if I make any mistakes </3...But I just wanted to say I'm doing random 60 minute (or less) workouts hoping it will help me before I eat like a elephant on the day I go out to eat with my family. Thanks for reading this merry christmas. :p
  • tenazhsc
    tenazhsc Posts: 70 Member
    kaytiecakes wrote: »
    I give myself "cheat" meals, not "cheat" days. My Friday and Saturday dinners are my "cheat" meals. I behave during the day so I don't feel guilty about those two meals.

    I agree with you in doing a 'cheat meal' at the end of a day. It helps me go to bed full and content.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    I bank calories through the week if I want to stay in a deficit otherwise I try to stay at maintenance calories.

    I’ve gone over but the thing is don’t let it derail you just get back on board the next day. This is basically a lifetime of watching how much we eat and occasionally eating over on special occasions is just that special as long as they don’t turn into weeks and months of overeating.
  • kireler
    kireler Posts: 30 Member
    What I do if I go over is just accept it, I do try to rationalize why I did it. I will ask myself if it was it a special event or just a stumble?

    What I wouldn't do is "not eat" the rest of the day to make up for it. You need food for lunch, dinner, etc... So maybe just try and pick things that makes sense or what you would have on a "regular day", then tomorrow is another day and you go at it as you did before.

    I look at it as a long distance race, not a sprint.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    I also follow a weekly calorie goal so may calories are zigzagged throughout the week but balance out in the end.

    Even if you don't do this, one day is nothing and not going to derail progress. For most folks, a day like that may show up in increased water weight for a couple days and this even back out. It's really a non-issue as long as you're not making a habit of it. I would log it and forget it.
  • Dilvish
    Dilvish Posts: 398 Member
    edited December 2018
    You think that's a cheat? Check out "The Rock" on his "cheat day" !!! https://youtube.com/watch?v=65iZ21omFEI

    Bottom line, yes it's a long view not a short one as long as you maintain your focus on long term weight loss/health. Cheat days aren't going to sabotage you as long as you are in it for the journey, not the destination.

    I myself had one just this past Saturday. My daily calorie intake is 1500. I ate 4200 on Saturday. I didn't stress over it as I resumed my daily goal on Sunday (and achieved it).
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I don't view them as set backs...it's called living life. In the grand scheme of things, having occasions of indulgence really aren't a big deal.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Just do what you're doing, follow your usual plan at the next meal.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,333 Member
    The key to success is being able to jump right back on your eating plan. Everyone goes off.. ,it is getting right back on that is the trick. You could even jump right back on, eat a little under each day for a while.. or exercise extra a few days and make it all up.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,672 Member
    Just get back on track. Why would you give up? The majority of our days determine our weight and health, not the one or two days here and there that are indulgent.

    Log it; decide whether it was worth it. If it wasn't worth it, spend no more than 5 minutes thinking through what you'll do differently next time similar circumstances arise, and rehearsing that strategy vividly in your head (like a mini-movie) a few times. Then, just go on with your healthy routine.

    If your car got a flat tire, you'd fix it, and go on. You wouldn't hammer a nail into the other 3 tires. If you got lost on vacation, you wouldn't give up and drive home. You'd get out your phone/GPS or map, and get back on the right route.

    This isn't different. There's no need for drama. Just get back on a healthy track. Everything is fine.
  • swim777
    swim777 Posts: 599 Member
    Ann, Thanks so much for your post. I feel like I need to print it out, and tape it to my (refrigerator) lol. Seriously, it helps me realize that this is just a journey, and we can choose how to move on without beating ourselves up or giving up. Thanks again for saying what we all need to hear!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,672 Member
    swim777 wrote: »
    Ann, Thanks so much for your post. I feel like I need to print it out, and tape it to my (refrigerator) lol. Seriously, it helps me realize that this is just a journey, and we can choose how to move on without beating ourselves up or giving up. Thanks again for saying what we all need to hear!

    Note: I shamelessly stole some of those analogies from what others have written here. If I remembered who it was, I would've credited them.

    So, that's very sweet of you to say, but you're literally too kind. :flowerforyou:
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